Methods and Apparatus for Implementing Policy and Charging Control

• US 20150172471A1
• Filed: 07/19/2012
• Published: 06/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Castro Castro, Fabian, Fernandez Alonso, Susana
• Granted Patent: US 10,154,151 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1407 Policy-and-charging control [PCC] architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/028 by filtering
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1036 Load balancing of requests to servers for services different from user content provisioning, e.g. load balancing across domain name servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/66 Policy and charging system
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/12 Setup of transport tunnels

Abstract

According to the present invention there is provided a method of ensuring that all AF sessions for an IP-CAN session reach the same PCRF when more than one PCRF is deployed in an operator network. The method involves configuring a PCRF such that, upon receipt of a request relating to the establishment or modification of the IP-CAN session, the PCRF determines one or more Application Detection and Control (ADC) rules for identifying application messages associated with the IP-CAN session and that require that an address of the PCRF must be included in the identified AF session messages. The PCRF is further configured to provision the one or more ADC rules at an ADC node.

Claims

1. A method of ensuring that all Application Function, AF, sessions for an IP Connectivity Access Network, IP-CAN, session reach the same Policy and Charging Rules Function, PCRF, when more than one PCRF is deployed in an operator network, the method comprising, at a Policy and Charging Rules Function, PCRF:

upon receipt of a request relating to the establishment or modification of the IP-CAN session, determining an Application Detection and Control, ADC, rule for identifying application messages associated with the IP-CAN session in which the address of the PCRF must be included; and

notifying a node that implements application detection and control of the ADC rule.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of notifying a node that implements application detection and control of the ADC rule comprises any one of:

installing the ADC rule at the node that implements application detection and control; and

activating the ADC rule at the node that implements application detection and control.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the node that implements application detection and control is any one of:

a Policy and Charging Enforcement Function, PCEF, enhanced with ADC; and

a Traffic Detection Function, TDF.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ADC rule includes the address of the PCRF that must be included in an application message identified by the ADC rule.

5. A method of ensuring that all Application Function, AF, sessions for an IP Connectivity Access Network, IP-CAN, session reach the same Policy and Charging Rules Function, PCRF, when more than one PCRF is deployed in an operator network, the method comprising, at a node that implements application detection and control:

receiving, from a PCRF, notification of an Application Detection and Control, ADC, rule that is to be applied for the IP-CAN session, wherein the ADC rule identifies application messages associated with the IP-CAN session in which the address of the PCRF must be included; and

using the ADC rule to identify an application message associated with the IP-CAN, inserting the address of the PCRF into the identified application message, and forwarding the identified application message to the AF.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the step of receiving, from a PCRF, notification of an ADC rule comprises any one of:

receiving the ADC rule from the PCRF for installation at the node; and

receiving from the PCRF an instruction to activate the ADC rule, wherein the ADC rule is configured at the node.

7. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the node that implements application detection and control is any one of:

a Policy and Charging Enforcement Function, PCEF, enhanced with ADC; and

a Traffic Detection Function, TDF.

8. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the ADC rule includes the address of the PCRF that must be included in an application message identified by the ADC rule.

9. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the ADC rule identifies a Session Initiation Protocol, SIP, message.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the method comprises:

using the ADC rule to identify a SIP message associated with the IP-CAN, inserting the address of the PCRF into the SIP message, and forwarding the SIP message to a Proxy Call Session Control Function, P-CSCF.

11. A method of ensuring that all Application Function, AF, sessions for an IP Connectivity Access Network, IP-CAN, session reach the same Policy and Charging Rules Function, PCRF, when more than one PCRF is deployed in an operator network, the method comprising, at an Application Function, AF, of the PCC architecture:

receiving an application message that includes an address of a PCRF; and

using the received PCRF address to provide service information for the AF session to the PCRF.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, and further comprising:

receiving a Session Initiation Protocol, SIP, r message from a UE for which the IP-CAN session has been established; and

retrieving the address of the PCRF from a header of the SIP r message.

13. An apparatus configured to operate as a Policy and Charging Rules Function, PCRF, the apparatus comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a request relating to establishment or modification of an IP-CAN session;

a processor configured to determine an Application Detection and Control, ADC, rule for identifying application messages associated with the IP-CAN session in which the address of the PCRF must be included; and

a transmitter configured to notify a node that implements application detection and control of the ADC rule.

14. The apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the apparatus is configured to notify a node that implements application detection and control of the ADC rule by implementing any one of:

installation of the ADC rule at the node that implements application detection and control; and

activation of the ADC rule at the node that implements application detection and control, wherein the ADC rule is configured at the node.

15. The apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the transmitter is configured to notify any one of:

a Policy and Charging Enforcement Function, PCEF, enhanced with ADC; and

a Traffic Detection Function, TDF.

16. An apparatus configured to operate as a node that implements application detection and control, the apparatus comprising:

a receiver configured to receive, from a Policy and Charging Rules Function, PCRF, notification of an Application Detection and Control, ADC, rule that is to be applied for an IP-CAN session, wherein the ADC rule identifies an application message associated with the IP-CAN session in which the address of the PCRF must be included;

a processor configured to use the ADC rule to identify an application message associated with the IP-CAN session, and to insert the address of the PCRF into the identified application message; and

a transmitter configured to forward the identified application message to an Application Function, AF.

17. The apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the processor is configured to obtain the address of the PCRF from the ADC rule.

18. The apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the apparatus is configured to operate as any one of:

a Policy and Charging Enforcement Function, PCEF, enhanced with ADC; and

a Traffic Detection Function, TDF.

19. The apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the transmitter is configured to forward the application message to a Proxy Call Session Control Function, P-CSCF, of an IP Multimedia Subsystem.

20. The apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein the receiver is configured to receive a Session Initiation Protocol, SIP, message from a User Equipment, UE, for which the IP-CAN session has been established, the processor is configured to insert the address of the PCRF into a header of the SIP message, and the transmitter is configured to forward the SIP message to the P-CSCF.

21. An apparatus configured to operate as an Application Function, AF, of a Policy and Charging Control, PCC, architecture, the apparatus comprising:

a receiver configured to receive an application message that includes an address of a Policy and Charging Rules Function, PCRF; and

a processor configured to use the received PCRF address to provide service information for the AF session to the PCRF.

22. The apparatus as claimed in claim 21, wherein the receiver is configured to receive the application message from a User Equipment of a user that has established an IP Connectivity Access Network, IP-CAN, session.

23. The apparatus as claimed in claim 21, wherein the receiver is configured to receive a Session Initiation Protocol, SIP, message from a UE for which an IP Connectivity Access Network, IP-CAN, session has been established;

and the processor is configured to retrieve the address of the PCRF from a header of the SIP message.